Everyone knows that in order to lose weight, we need to eat sensibly and exercise regularly. It's so easy to say, but why does it seem so hard to do? I put it to you that exercising effectively is all about attitude. If you could just understand how simple it is to incorporate exercise into your daily routine, you could make a decision now to just do it. That decision would lead to weight loss, and weight loss would change your life.
Don't be fooled. You do not have to buy the latest exercise machine on the infomericals. If you already have one such machine (or more than one!) that's well and good. Get it out and set it up somewhere it can stay set up. (It's not as effective if you have to fetch it out of storage and set it up every time you exercise). Make it visual and ever present and it will remind you to exercise. However, if you have not succombed to the latest abs firming gizmo, don't worry one bit. Get yourself a large exercise ball and you can exercise every muscle using that, for a fraction of the price.
Exercise does not have to take hours out of every day. There are a number of brilliant daily exercise DVDs on the market that take between 15 and 20 minutes. If you can manage this three times a week or more you will be on your way to a better physique. Most people find that first thing in the morning is the best time to do their 20 minutes. At least there will be fewer interuptions and you will be able to spend your day knowing it's behind you, a great feeling! If you leave it til any other time you may find it playing on your mind during the day and you might feel as though it's hanging over your head. Unexpected things often come up and you'll find it squeezed out of your routine for that day. After you've missed one session you may feel a bit disappointed with yourself and less keen to continue. Does any of this sound familiar? Overcome such obstacles by choosing a time that's best for you, and stick to it.
Make it enjoyable. If something has to be endured rather than enjoyed it probably wont last. Sit down with pen and paper and jot down ten things you love doing. Then examine your list and see how you could incorporate exercise naturally into these activities. If one of the items on your list is - playing squash with a friend - then you're laughing! But chances are that your items are more along the lines of - dining out with my partner - and this will take some creative thought. For instance, where could you go to eat which is atmospheric, delicious, provides you with some healthy dietary options and also is near to a lovely beach or nature walk? Consider cycling to your cafe destination, and take the whole family! What great memories you'll make, plus you'll be modelling healthy living to your kids. In the summertime, my wife and I make a habit of taking the kids for a sunset walk on the beach, after dinner. No one's allowed to watch television until we return. What wonderful conversations and laughs we have enjoyed in these times of fresh air and no distractions.
Informally, you can make sure you're getting enough exercise. Examine your everyday routine. Do you always use television remote controls? Hide them! Do you look for the closest parking spot to the door of the shopping centre? Park as far away as you can and enjoy the walk. The walk back to the car with heavy shopping bags will serve as a substitute for lifting weights at your local fitness centre! (Cheaper, too!) Make a decision now to take the stairs, not the lift. If you are a bus traveller, consider alighting one stop later than usual and walk back. If you stare at a computer screen for most of your working day, set your phone alarm and at two assigned times every day take a brisk walk around the block. Watch your productivity and feeling of well being improve!
Compete with yourself. If you manage to organise a daily walk (or a walk three times a week as a minimum), have fun by creating a chart and display it somewhere prominent such as on your fridge. Time yourself each walk and watch as you shave minutes off your previous best time. This will inevitably happen as you get fitter and fitter. Include a column to measure your pulse when you return home and you'll also be thrilled to see your fitness levels increase. Before long you'll be able to increase the length of your walk and still return home within the same time period.
Get inspired about where you exercise, don't just settle for your local neighbourhood if it's not interesting enough to maintain your enthusiasm. Where is your favourite scenery within a few minutes drive of your house? Drive there and give yourself some visual enjoyment as you walk. It might be bush, an allocated walking/cycling track, around a lake etc. If your favourite place in all the world is the local shopping centre there's nothing stopping you doing as a friend of my wife's. She arrives before the crowds every morning and walks the length of the building four or five times as her daily routine, and she couldn't be happier!
Don't overdo it. This is often a pitfall of the enthusiastic. Always start small and allow your challenges to grow. If you lift weights which are too heavy or start jogging before you've mastered walking briskly, you're in for trouble. At the worst you'll injure youself or endanger your health and at best you'll be very sore and sorry the next day. So many times I've witnessed joggers (often older people) almost killing themselves along the side of the road. I wish they realized that a very brisk walk will do them more good than their excrutiating run.
If you're looking for a form of exercise with suits nearly everyone, look no further than swimming. Swimming is great as a regular form of exercise as it's low impact (so you're unlikely to get injured), appeals to all ages and is quite a workout for your whole body. It's also lots of fun, it feels like pure pleasure in hot weather and can be continued throughout the cold months if you live near an indoor pool centre. Nobody but you needs to know how fast or stylishly you're swimming, it can be an individual challenge if that's what you prefer.
The competitive spirit can be a powerful motivator for those of you who, like myself, thrive on competition. If you're not already involved in team sport, see what you can arrange. This will be the right move for you. You'll feel accountable to the others in the team, you'll be unlikely to let them down by not showing or having a slack day and you'll be motivated to play because you like winning.
If you want to see quick results in your physique, I would definitely have a whey protein based shake on hand and take this between 20 and 30 minutes after your exercise session. You'd be amazed at the difference this will make. During exercise you muscles basically tear and protein helps them to start rebuilding immediately. This leads to greater muscle tone and fat burning. Whey protein and L Carnitine is a winning combination if you really need to lose some weight. Why do all the hard work and not give yourself every advantage?
A little creative thinking and a steadfast decision to put some little changes into action can be the start of a whole new you. It's not as hard as you think to live a healthy life. Any exercise must be supported by sensible eating, and is enhanced by drinking lots of water and a protein supplement after you're finished. If you put into action some of the advice given here, I am confident your slimmer physique and increased energy levels will be all the motivation you need to keep on exercising regularly for the rest of your life!
Article Source: http://www.orbitaloc.com/
Colin Johnson has been a recognised exercise advisor and elite sports trainer in a variety of arenas. He heartily recommends whey protein shakes for muscle review and development and L Carnitine for weight loss and increased stamina.
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